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ZIRCON GENUS, Ufe. It is frequently cut as a precious Hone, and em ployed for various purpofes, but particularly as an ornament in mourning drefs. When it is cut it ex hibits in a faint degree the play of colours of the dia mond ; and fuch varieties are not unfrequently fold as inferior kinds of diamond, and ufed by watch-makers in jewelling watches. Obfervations, On account of its great hardnefs and confiderable fire, fome of the older mineralogifts believed it to be a variety of diamond ; and others, from its co lours, have placed it fucceffively with topaz, fap- phire, and ruby. The fagacious Rome de Liflc, however, fufpefted that it was effentially different from all thefe ftones; and Werner, by an accurate examination of its external chara&ers, referred it to its prefent place in the fyftem. I SECOND
